Suhail Khan
VERINAG, May 25: Braving the hot weather conditions, the Verinag voters, including first-timers, were seen queuing up enthusiastically outside their respective polling booths in their respective segments to exercise their franchise for development and change.
Talking to Kashmir Despatch, Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Verinag, said that they cast their vote for change and for development, and they are very much hopeful that this time their vote will not be wasted.
He said it’s not the first time we have cast our vote, as in the past too we had cast our vote, but our representatives never tried to fight for our rights. However, this time we are very much hopeful that the candidate we have voted for will not let us down.
Ahad Sahab, another man from Verinag, said that we have been misled by our previous representatives, who, after coming into power, forgot the people who elected them. However, this time, we decided to choose a new representative who can at least not let us down, as Kashmir really needs change and a new beginning for a bright future.
Other voters, including first-timers, stated that they really need change, development, and a bright future for their children, and this time they have cast their vote for change, and they are sure that this time they will not be misled.
They said that voters came in large numbers this time, and it hardly matters whom they supported, but what matters is the change and a change that can help in their overall development and well-being.
As many as 20 candidates were contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, and among them, the prominent were Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference influential Gujjar leader Mian Altaf, Apni Party’s Zaffar Manhas, and Democratic Progress Azad Party’s Mohammad Saleem.
The BJP has not fielded any candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, saying the party was in no hurry to see the lotus bloom in Kashmir, and the party has given tacit support to Apni Party’s Manhas, who is a Pahari.
The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency comprises 18 assembly segments, spanning across the Kashmir and Jammu regions. The constituency is divided into 11 segments in Shopian, Kulgam, and Anantnag districts of South Kashmir, and 7 segments in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu, bridging the Pir Panjal range.
